11.08.2019 – Squid season
August 21, 2019
13.08.2019 – Airy body guard
August 23, 2019
Today we were witness to a crime, a theft of something precious, a whole school of fish! We followed the Corey’s shearwaters (Calonectris), as we often do because these opportunists tend to glide straight towards the dolphins whenever they go hunting. Sure enough, they led us straight to a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) skilfully herding a school of fish together to enjoy as their dinner. Now we know that the Shearwaters are also small-time bandits, picking of a fish whenever they can from the surface. But then something else happened. A much larger thief swooped in and stole the whole school!
Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) had a clear motive, because a whale of that size, needs a large meal to sustain that massive body, they can weigh between 12-25 tons. It also had the means, with a mouth wide enough to envelop a whole school of fish as it rapidly lunges forward. Lastly, the opportunity was there as well, provided by the tireless effort of the spotted dolphins that saw their meal disappear before their eyes. The culprit is still at large and is expected to strike again whenever it can.
This however was not the only spectacle out on the ocean today, as many other species were out and about for us to enjoy. Some striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) jumping gracefully, and some short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) playful and friendly as ever. Some frequenters of the deep showed their faces as-well, with Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorynchus) who’s heads are unmistakable due to their round melon shape. The much larger Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) was also seen, making it a diverse day with both giants and smaller animals to be seen.
By Scott Dorssers
Sightings of the day
Ribeira brava
13:30 Striped dolphin, Short-beaked common dolphin, Sperm whale.
Stenella
09:00 Atlantic spotted dolphin
12:00 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Striped dolphin, Short-finned pilot whale
18:00 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Bryde’s whale
